3 ms·

The first point where I'm lost is the idea that aliens might have a humanoid shape. That seems astronomically unlikely, pun intended.

midoridensha 3y ago
If aliens evolved just like life on this planet, the humanoid shape might simply be optimal for intelligent, land-dwelling, tool-using beings. There's a reason cetaceans haven't developed the technology we have. We've seen other examples of similar features independently evolving. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convergent_evolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convergent_evolution
- remarkEon 3y ago
  >There's a reason cetaceans haven't developed the technology we have. Isn't the real reason the whole "living under water" thing? Hard to develop tools when you're suspended in a liquid.
  - midoridensha 3y ago
    Yes, that, plus not having limbs with grasping appendages and opposable thumbs. That's my whole point: aliens on other planets aren't likely to develop technology and build starships if they can't even develop or use basic tools, whereas aliens that evolve humanoid bodies have the basic structure needed to do so. There certainly could be all kinds of aliens out there with very different bodies (including cetacean-like bodies, this is probably common on worlds with oceans), but they're not going to be building ships and visiting us here on Earth.
    - anon25783 3y ago
      Well, but what about octopi and their cousins? They are among the most intelligent and the most dextrous creatures on Earth; it seems to me that they are just nerfed by their short lifespans.
      - midoridensha 3y ago
        That and living in water. It seems much, much more difficult to develop tools and technology in an aquatic environment than in air. Just think about how poorly almost any manufactured item performs, long-term, in water (corrosion, etc.). Of course, it's possible some aliens might develop underwater, like octopi, and develop technology. But I think it's far less likely than aliens that evolve on dry land.
- BizarroLand 3y ago
  There's a lot to be said for convergent evolution, sure, but there's a similar "convergent invention" whose progress does not tick in ice ages. For instance, pretty much every human civilization invented the spear and the bow, but the Native Americans, although they had wheels such as the circular Mayan calendar and the various hoops used for games, did not use them for transportation (i.e. wheelbarrow or cart) seemingly because they had no domesticated oxen or horses to pull them with. Lacking one necessitated the withering of the other.
icedchai 3y ago
If you dig deeper into the conspiracy theories, this is explained by 1) Aliens created us or an ancestor through generic engineering. They are here to "check up" on things, or maybe they never even left. 2) Aliens are actually human time travelers from a future timeline. Not saying I believe any of this.

midoridensha 3y ago

If aliens evolved just like life on this planet, the humanoid shape might simply be optimal for intelligent, land-dwelling, tool-using beings. There's a reason cetaceans haven't developed the technology we have. We've seen other examples of similar features independently evolving. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convergent_evolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convergent_evolution

remarkEon 3y ago
>There's a reason cetaceans haven't developed the technology we have. Isn't the real reason the whole "living under water" thing? Hard to develop tools when you're suspended in a liquid.
- midoridensha 3y ago
  Yes, that, plus not having limbs with grasping appendages and opposable thumbs. That's my whole point: aliens on other planets aren't likely to develop technology and build starships if they can't even develop or use basic tools, whereas aliens that evolve humanoid bodies have the basic structure needed to do so. There certainly could be all kinds of aliens out there with very different bodies (including cetacean-like bodies, this is probably common on worlds with oceans), but they're not going to be building ships and visiting us here on Earth.
  - anon25783 3y ago
    Well, but what about octopi and their cousins? They are among the most intelligent and the most dextrous creatures on Earth; it seems to me that they are just nerfed by their short lifespans.
    - midoridensha 3y ago
      That and living in water. It seems much, much more difficult to develop tools and technology in an aquatic environment than in air. Just think about how poorly almost any manufactured item performs, long-term, in water (corrosion, etc.). Of course, it's possible some aliens might develop underwater, like octopi, and develop technology. But I think it's far less likely than aliens that evolve on dry land.
BizarroLand 3y ago
There's a lot to be said for convergent evolution, sure, but there's a similar "convergent invention" whose progress does not tick in ice ages. For instance, pretty much every human civilization invented the spear and the bow, but the Native Americans, although they had wheels such as the circular Mayan calendar and the various hoops used for games, did not use them for transportation (i.e. wheelbarrow or cart) seemingly because they had no domesticated oxen or horses to pull them with. Lacking one necessitated the withering of the other.

icedchai 3y ago

If you dig deeper into the conspiracy theories, this is explained by 1) Aliens created us or an ancestor through generic engineering. They are here to "check up" on things, or maybe they never even left. 2) Aliens are actually human time travelers from a future timeline. Not saying I believe any of this.